Colic is very common in young babies, with around one in five suffering from it before they’re a month old. It’s characterised by bursts of shrill, powerful crying that don’t seem to have an obvious cause and it can be a distressing experience for the whole family.

Nobody’s really sure what causes colic, but it’s thought that it could be bubbles of trapped wind in your baby’s bowel, possibly caused by difficulty digesting the lactose in their milk. This trapped wind can be very painful and difficult for little ones to release easily.

How can I be sure it’s colic?

The first thing to do is check nothing else is upsetting your baby. If you’re sure he or she isn’t hungry, overtired, needing changing or getting a temperature, it could be colic.

The other things to look out for are a swollen tummy, drawing their knees up to their chest, frequently passing wind or a red face. You might find colic’s also more likely to happen in the afternoon or evening.

Sign’s that this is something more serious than colic are diarrhoea, vomiting or a temperature of over 38°C or 100°F. If any of these symptoms occurs, or you’re worried about whether it’s colic or not, talk to your health visitor, midwife or doctor.

How can I calm my colicky baby?

There are a number of gentle medicines you can use to help soothe your baby’s discomfort. Given either before his or her usual milk, or mixed in with it, they help to make the feed easier to digest.

You can also try a few of the following. Remember they won’t all work for every baby, every time, so it’s all about getting to know what works for your little one.

• Winding - Hold your baby over your shoulder and rub or pat his or her back gently
• Rocking - Either holding your baby in your arms or placing them in a bouncer
• Sucking - Let your baby suck on your finger for a little comfort
• Walking or driving - Whether they’re in a sling, pram or car seat, babies often love the rhythm of travelling and you might find it sends yours off to sleep
• Massaging - Baby massage is a lovely, relaxing experience for you both and is thought to be great for bonding
• Noise - Strangely enough, some babies are soothed by the constant low noise of a television, vacuum or tumble dryer

Product examples: Infacol, Colief

Always read the label. Please ask our pharmacist for advice.